Air deflector



Sept. 30, 1958 w. GL CROWLE n ET AL AIR DEFLEGTQR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 s mg W. wf M N 0 a a v W f. in 16s ME n l l M@ a Filed Feb. 16, 1953 Serin 30, 1958 w. G. CROWLE ET AL 2,853,935

AIR DEFLECTOR Filed Feb. 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GIID f@ G9@ C@ ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent AIR DEFLECTOR William G. Crowle, Berwyn, and Charles E. Jones, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Hunter Fan and Ventilating Company, Inc., a corporation of Tennessee Application February 16, 1953, Serial No. 337,056

4 Claims. (Cl. 98-40) This invention relates to an air dellector such as may be used in connection with air conditioning installation to control the direction of air flow from an opening.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an air deflector which will be extremely versatile in that an almost infinite number of positions are provided so that the air flow from an opening may be controlled with great nicety.

AIt is another object of the invention to provide for two or more deflectors in an air conditioning unit disposed in two or more outlet openings therein which deflectors may be individually controlled or adjusted so as to provide for still greater versatility. Itis yet another object of the invention to provide a multi-iin deflector for adjusting the direction of air flow through relatively large openings.

It is still another object of the invention to provide deflectors as outlined above which will be simple and foolproof in operation, and which will present a very attractive appearance to the eye.

These and other objects of the invention which will be described in greater detail hereinafter, or which will be apparent to one reading these specifications, we accomplish by that certain construction and arrangement of parts of which we shall now describe certain exemplary embodiments.

Reference is made to the drawings forming a part hereof and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an air conditioning unit tted with deflectors according to the invention as seen from the inside of a room.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a different position of adjustment.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 5-.5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an elevational view of a modification of the invention.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the same taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 6 showing the vanes and iins in a different position of adjustment.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of Figure 7, and

Figure ll is a diagrammatic view showing the pulley arrangement seen at the top of Figure 6.

Briefly, in the practice of our invention, we provide in an air opening or passage, a rotatable element and means for rotating said element. On the rotatable element we mount a series of fins. These fins are disposed in parallel relationship and they are mounted at an angle to the axis of the rotatable element. If, for example, a relatively Ice 2,853,935

narrow opening is to be provided with a deilector the rotatable element is mounted axially of the length of the opening and the fins will have the configuration of crosssections taken through a cylinder having a diameter substantially the width of the opening, and at an angle to the axis of the cylinder corresponding to the angle at which the tins are positioned with respect to the rotatable element. Preferably two such openings will be provided in an air conditioning unit and two such deflectors will be provided which will be individually controlled.

According to a modification of the invention wherein a relatively large opening is to be baflled, we provide a plurality of rotatable elements in parallel relationship, together with means for rotating all said elements concurrently in the same direction. Each of the elements will be provided with a similar set of fins, and the rotatable elements themselves may be in the form of vanes so that when in one position of adjustment the entire opening can be substantially or entirely closed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, We have shown in Figure l a perspective view as `seen from the inside of a room of an air conditioning unit indicated generally at 10, and having air outlet openings 11, and 12.

Axially of the length of each opening there is mounted..

a rod 13, 14. Each of the rods, 13 and 14, is equipped with a hand wheel or the like 15, 16, by means of which the respective rods 13 and 14 may be rotated.

On each of the rods 13 and 14 there is mounted a series of fins 17. These fins are elliptical in shape and are mounted in parallel planes as best seen in Figure 2. Actually the configuration of the tins 17 is such that they are sections through a cylinder taken at an angle to the axis of the cylinder equal to the angle at which they are mounted on the respective rods 13 and 14, the cylinder having a diameter substantially equal to the width of the opening 11. Thus when seen in end elevation as in Figure 4, the fins 17 have a circular projection whereas actually they are of the shape seen in Figure 5.

In this way, regardless of the position of orientation of the rods 13 or 14, the diameters of the lins extend sub- .stantially across the opening and by rotating the rotatable provided for each of the openings 11 and 12.

members 13 and 14 by means of their wheels 15 and 16, the direction of air issu-ing from the openings 11 and 12 may be adjusted. Since each of the rods 13 and 14 is individually controlled, different air directions may be It will, of course, be clear that there could be a single opening 11 or 12, in which case there would be a single rotatable element with a single series of fins. Likewise there could be more than two as shown without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Coming now to the embodiment disclosed in Figures 6 to l1 inclusive, we have shown how the principles of the invention may be adapted to relatively large openings, We have illustrated a substantially square opening 20 and in this opening we have mounted a series of rotatable elements 21. On each of the rotatable elements 21 we have mounted a series of tins 22. These ns are again mounted in parallel relationship as they were in the einbodiment of Figures 1 to 5 inclusive, and again they are elliptical in shape as best seen in Figure 10. While in end elevation they will appear circular as seen in Figure 8. It will be clear from what has been said before that for a large opening such as that indicated at Ztl, the number of elements 21 and the sizes of the ns 22 will be so chosen that they substantially lill the opening 20. Thus for example, a given number of cylinders could be made to it within the opening 2.0. The members 21 will then be rotatably mounted on the axes of these imaginary cylinders and the iins will be cross sections through the cylinders at the same angle at which the tins are mounted on the element 21. Means are preferably provided as Patented Sept'. 30, 1958 indicated by the pulleys 23 and continuous belt 24 and control knob 25 for producing the rotation of all the elements 21 concurrently in the same direction. The manner in which the belt may be threaded over the pulleys 23 is indicated diagrammatically in Figure 11.

In this embodiment, the elements 21 instead of being rods as in the previously described embodiment, are preferably in the form of vanes. Preferably also, the tins 22 will be mounted in planes perpendicular to the planes of the vane 21 as best seen in Figures 6, 7 and 9. In this way when the vanes 21 are rotated to the position of Figure 9, they substantially block the opening 20. lt will, of course, be understood that the vanes 21 may be substantially coextensive with the edges of the iin 22 so that an almost complete obturation may be obtained. If it is desired that there never should be a complete obturation the vanes may be made narrower as seen in Figure 9, or even narrower yet. Thus the vanes 21 as well as the n 22 have an eitect in directing the tlow of air `through the opening 20.

lt will be understood that the pulley arrangement shown is only given by way of example, and that the movement of all the vanes 21 concurrently and in the same direction may be achieved in any desired manner.

It will be clear that numerous modications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and we therefore do not intend to limit ourselves except as set forth in the claims which follow.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device wherein a current of air is passed through a passageway of rectangular cross section having an outlet end, an air deector mounted in the outlet end of said passageway for controlling the direction of ow of the air current, said deector comprising a rotatable element extending lengthwise across the outlet end of said passageway, a plurality of spaced apart detlector fins xedly mounted on said rotatable element in parallel relationship and extending at an acute angle to the axis of said rotatable element, said tins each corresponding in shape to a cross section of a cylinder taken at the said acute angle to the axis thereof, the said cylinder having a diameter substantially equal to the Width o the said outlet end or" said passageway, the axis of said rotatable element being spaced from the outlet end of said passage way by a distance no greater than the radius of said cylinder, with the center of each fin lying on the axis of said rotatable element, and means for rotating said rotatable element to change the direction of air ow through said passageway, said passageway being otherwise free from obstructions.

2. In a device wherein a current of air is adapted to be passed through an elongated transversely sub-divided passageway wherein the sub-divisions of said passageway are rectangular at the outlet end thereof, an air deector mounted in each of said sub-divisions, said deectors each 4 comprising a rotatable element extending lengthwise across the sub-divisions of said passageway, a plurality of spaced apart deilector tins xedly mounted on each of said rotatable elements in parallel relation and extending at an acute angle to the axes of said elements, said tins each being of a shape corresponding to the cross Section of a cylinder taken at the said acute angle to the axis thereof, the said cylinder having a diameter substantially equal to the widths of said rectangular sub-divisions, the axes of said rotatable elements being spaced from the outlet end of said passageway by a distance no greater than thev radius of said cylinder, with the center of each iin lying on the axes of said rotatable elements and means for rotating each of said rotatable elements individually to change the direction of air How through the sub-divisions of said passageway, said passageway being otherwise free from obstructions.

3. In an air deflector for deecting a current of air passing through a passageway having an outlet end which is rectangular in cross section, at least one air deliector mounted in the outlet end of said passageway for controlling the direction of ow of the air current passing through a predetermined rectangular area or" said passageway, said deflector comprising a rotatable element extending lengthwise across the said rectangular area, a plurality of spaced apart deilector tins xedly mounted on said rotatable element in parallel relationship and extending at an acute angle to the axis of said rotatable element, said iins each corresponding in shape to that segment of a right cylinder formed between two closely spaced parallel planes which are inclined with respect to the axis of the cylinder by said acute angle, the said cylinder having adiameter substantially equal to the width of said rectangular area, said rotatable element being positioned with its axis spaced from the outlet end of said passageway by a distance no greater than the radius of said cylinder, with the center of each n lying on the axis of said rotatable element, whereby to provide deector tins which will span the width of the said rectangular'area irrespective of their rotative position.

4. A structure according to claim 3 including means dividing the outlet end of said passageway into a plurality of rectangular areas extending across said outlet end in parallel relation, wherein a separate air defiector is provided for each of said rectangular areas, and wherein means are provided for rotating all of said air dee'ctors concurrently in the same direction to change the direction of air ow through said passageway.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,555,009 Romano May 29, 1951 2,621,578 Labus Dec. 16, 1952 2,632,375 Stair Mar. 24, 1953 

